1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to systems and methods for shutting in and isolating a production reservoir in association with the operation of pulling a failed artificial-lift pump from a well.
2. Description of the Related Art
During the later stages of production of hydrocarbons from a wellbore, downhole artificial lift pumps are often used to help assist hydrocarbons from the well. Unfortunately, these pumps occasionally suffer breakdowns or malfunction and tend to have a lifespan of only 2–3 years, in any case. When a pump become non-operational, the pump is pulled from the wellbore and either repaired or replaced with a new pump during a workover of the well. In order to remove the pump from the wellbore, it is necessary to close off, or isolate, the well below the pump against fluid flow. If the well remains live while the pump is being removed, pressurized fluid could be forced to the surface very quickly, resulting in a dangerous situation at the wellhead and potentially reducing the ability of the well to produce further.
One technique for isolating a well is to “kill” the well by introducing fluids, such as seawater, at the surface of the well to increase the hydrostatic pressure within the well to a point where it is higher than the formation pressure. The problem with this technique is that it is usually undesirable to introduce fluids into the formation below, as such may reduce the quality and quantity of production fluid that may be obtained from the well later.
A second method for isolating the well is to provide a shut-off valve below the pump that is being removed and then to close the shut-off valve as the pump is removed from the well. A conventional shut-off valve arrangement is a sliding sleeve valve having lateral fluid openings with an internal sleeve that is axially moveable between positions that open and close against fluid communication. A sliding sleeve cut-off valve of this type is described in, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,156,220 issued to Forehand et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 5,316,084 issued to Murray et al. Each of these patents are owned by the assignee of the present invention and are hereby incorporated by reference. A shut-off valve assembly of this type is also available commercially from the Baker Oil Tools division of Baker Hughes Incorporated as the Model “CMQ-22” Sliding Sleeve.
Typically, the valve element of the sliding sleeve valve is closed solely by the action of removing the pump. The pump has a stinger extending downwardly therefrom with a shifting collet on the lower end. The shifting collet is formed to engage the sleeve element of the sliding sleeve valve. When the pump is pulled from the wellbore, a tubing hanger pressure seal at the surface of the well is breached. The shifting collet is then pulled upwardly and moves the sleeve member of the sliding sleeve valve upwardly as well. When the repaired pump or replacement pump is to be disposed into the well, the stinger with shifting collet is secured to the lower end of the repaired/replaced pump. As the pump is run into the wellbore, the shifting collet once more engages the sleeve element of the sliding sleeve valve and, this time, moves the sleeve element axially downwardly within the valve to open the lateral fluid ports to fluid communication.
This procedure for opening and closing the shut-off valve, while simple, presents practical problems. Because the well is live, there is typically a significant pressure differential across the shut-off valve. The inventors have recognized that, if the valve is not positively closed at the time the pump is removed, pressure may escape from the well below the pump. With the procedure where the sleeve element is closed by pulling the pump from the well, the valve is not fully closed until the pump is raised some distance within the wellbore, thereby permitting such an escape of pressure.
The present invention addresses the problems of the prior art.